Dan Jones

“Chelsea are moving gradually towards more of a break-even model, and although they are not there yet their losses have slimmed considerably from where they were”

“Portsmouth went into administration last season”

“He adds: "There needs to be a big focus at clubs on those issues of cost control, because the revenue growth is not going to be there for the next three or four years."”

“Liverpool and Standard Chartered”

“and Manchester United and AON”

“getting closer to that £2bn revenue mark across the Premier League.”

“In 2008/09 combined Premier League debt rose to more than £3bn”

“but Mr Jones says it must be remembered that £1.5bn was owed to owners such as Mr Abramovich and Sheik Mansoor”

“they are not there yet their losses have slimmed considerably from where they were”

“it was just quite simply spending more money than it had. That could not be sustained once the owners weren't putting money in to support it.”

“there is unlikely to be much revenue growth in the Premier League or Football League over the next few years, except for the added cash from renewed TV deals.”

“even with the tax rate, even with the exchange rate, they are competing against each other [for players]”

“Liverpool and Standard Chartered, and Manchester United and AON”

“For every £100 that comes into Premier League football clubs, £67 goes out on the wage bill - that's too high," said Deloitte's Dan Jones.”

“Mr Jones, the editor of Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance, said the wages ratio was above the 58% to 63% of the past decade.”

“The wage bills of Premier League clubs have recorded double-digit percentage growth for three years running. In 2008/09 they were up by £132m, or 11%, to £1.3bn.”

“Total wages have grown by 55%, or £474m, in that three-year period.”

“And he said that the wages ratio in the Football League was 86% as a whole and 90% in the Championship.”

“The challenging economic environment meant that revenue growth at Premier League clubs was restricted to 3% - leaving it just short of the the £2bn level, at £1.981m.”

“Only 10 of the 20 top league clubs made an operating profit in 2008/09, one less than a year before.”

“Premier League club's net debt at the end of the 2008/09 season had increased to £3.3bn from £3.2bn the year before.”

“Almost two-thirds, or more than £1.9bn, of the total net debt related to Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.”